Peas in a Pod
by GhostlyBob
Summary: Collection of stories of how the friendship of Ianto Jones and Lyn Evans developed over the years. Prequel to 'Of Angels and Aftermaths' but can be read separately. Rated T for later chapters.
1. First Steps part one

**I come bearing a new fic. A slight prequel to my story 'Of Angels and Aftermaths' in which we discover more about Ianto and Lyn's friendship over the years. You don't have to have read Of Angels as everything here happens before that. But before the fic, here's the info:**

**Title: Peas in a Pod**

**Disclaimer: Altough Lyn is mine, Ianto isn't (of course). All credit for Ianto and the world of Torchwood goes to RTD.**

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He stayed as still as was humanly possible, hiding away in the warm sanctuary keeping the world around him at bay. He couldn't go, not now; he was safe here, no one could hurt him here. He brought his knees to his chest as he tried to make himself as small as possible, hoping the ground below him would swallow him up. Ianto Jones lay shaking; he was terrified. If he stayed still, he could be forgotten and the threat would pass like a bad dream, the slightest remnant causing him to shudder if he tried to remember it fully.

'Ianto?' The man's mocking tone seeped through his cover as he held his breath. _Please, _he thought, _just leave me alone. _'I know you're there. You should know you can't hide from me.' Ianto could hear the smile in the man's voice and he shuddered when he felt him sit to his side. He knew what was coming and all Ianto could do was let out a startled yelp.

'Don't.' But his plea proved fruitless as the figure loomed over him... and began to tickle him through the bed sheet. Ianto tried to squirm away and hold in the laughter he knew his father was after. He wasn't going to laugh; this wasn't a day for laughing. It was Monday morning and it was his first day at proper school, with lots of other kids and having to stay away from home until 3pm. That was his entire day that was going to be taken up by the stupid system, then he would be up at the table all evening doing his homework and he wouldn't have time to play. His father had laughed at him, but he knew he was right because Rhiannon had been going to school for two years now and she never had time to play with him anymore. It was just so unfair.

'Dad, stop it. Not funny.' The little boy managed to pull the covers away from his face and look his father straight in the eye. Ivor Jones met his son's gaze as he ruffled his hair, making Ianto squirm underneath him. He then pulled the bed sheet down further, extracting more whimpers of disapproval from his son.

'Come on, time for little boys to be out of bed. Big day, remember?' Ivor's smile fell slightly as he saw the look of pure misery flood his youngest child's face. Ianto bowed his head and fiddled with his pyjama top, slightly too big for his five year old body but his mother was insistent that he would grow into it.

'Don't wanna go,' Ianto mumbled. 'School stupid.' He felt slightly hurt when his father let out a chuckle and scooped the young boy into his arms.

'And how would we know that, hmm?' Ivor perched Ianto onto his hip and poked him in the stomach. 'We haven't even had our first day, have we?' He could tell that there was no way he was going to win this argument. Although Ianto was only five years old, Ivor Jones could tell his son was going to grow up with a level and slightly stubborn head on his shoulders. 'Come on, Mum's made pancakes, but they're only meant to be eaten by children who go to school. Are you going to let your sister eat all of them?' He smiled as his son shook his head fiercely and tried to wriggle free from his father's hold. Setting his son down, he watched with pride as the young boy flew down the stairs and into the kitchen.

*****

'Yuck. Ianto.' Rhiannon sat opposite her little brother with a look of pure disgust on her face as she watched Ianto pour golden syrup all over his pancakes, his little tongue sticking out in concentration as he tried not to get it all over the table as well. Ivor just smiled as he bent the newspaper down in front of him to look at his family, shaking his head at his son's fascination with the gooey substance that covered his plate. Ianto scooped up the pieces of pancake his mother had cut up for him and chewed them down before they had time to cool on his fork. Ianto finished quickly and licked his lips, smeared completely in syrup.

'Yummy,' Ianto proclaimed as Phyllis Jones bent down and placed a kiss on top of her son's head.

'Well, now you've got all that sugar in you, how about we see how quick you are at getting changed into your uniform.' Phyllis took a sip of coffee before reaching for her camera. 'Want to make sure I get a picture of my little man looking so smart on his first day.' She was, of course, completely unaware of her son's unhappiness until her daughter spoke around a mouthful of pancake.

'He's scared, big baby.' Rhiannon smirked at her brother as he looked at her with hurt eyes. He had told her that in confidence, they always shared everything together and now she had just blown his trust in his big sister to the wind.

'Rhi, don't talk with your mouthful,' ordered Ivor as he gave his daughter a stern look. He watched as his son looked away from his sister and down to the floor.

'He's a big baby. I wasn't scared, but he is. He's just a big baby.' Rhiannon never used to tease her little brother, she was always quite fond of him. However, she had just turned seven and was going through that stage where she understood and enjoyed teasing others, but she didn't understand the effect it had on the ones who were being teased.

'Shut up, stupid head.' Ianto shouted at his sister across the table, much to the dismay of his mother who rapped him across the knuckles. That only made it worse and soon big tears began to fall down Ianto's small and flustered cheeks. Ivor Jones knew that this was the time to step in.

'Rhiannon, stop teasing your brother or you can forget about going to Susan's birthday tomorrow.' He saw the look of fear pass through his daughter's face and he smiled inside as Rhiannon scrambled from the table and fled upstairs to get ready. Ivor gave his wife a knowing nod and she vacated the room to let father and son have a chat. 'Come on, my little milwr . Don't let things like that upset you.'

'Rhi stupid, she always stupid.' Ianto huffed and dried his eyes with the back of his hand. Ivor took a handkerchief from his suit pocket and helped Ianto blow his nose. 'Don't like her no more.' Ianto gave another little huff as he looked down again at the floor, not wanting to look his father in the eye.

'You two do like your fights. The strain you two put on my health,' Ivor laughed as he ruffled his son's hair. Then, with a straight tone, he spoke to his son again. 'You know, when I started school at your age, I was scared too.' Ianto's little head shot up and looked at his father square in the eyes. 'Grandpa Jones took me right up to the gate and I wouldn't let go of his hand. He told me not to be scared, that it's another step to becoming an adult and do you know what? I walked into that school and enjoyed every bit of it.' He could see his son's eyes looking over his face, trying to find some flaw or twitch that would tell him his father was lying.

'Really?' Ianto quizzed his father, not wanting to believe the truth. When his father nodded his head, he smiled weakly and flung himself into his father's open arms. He loved his father; he was always there when he needed him and would always be there to give a kind word.

'Let's go get you changed then, huh?' He felt his son nod his head and they went hand in hand from the kitchen and up the stairs to start the new chapter in Ianto Jones' life.

*****

'Comeoncomeoncomeon,' the little girl whinged as she eagerly hopped from one foot to the other as she stood beside her front door. Decked out in her school uniform with cute pigtails tied up by little blue ribbons, she swung her bag as she tried to get her mother out of the house so they could go.

'Lyn Evans, how many times have I told you,' Lyn's mother came out of the living room, brushing her hair with one hand and trying to finish her morning slice of toast with the other. 'School does not start for another 45 minutes, we have plenty of time.'

'Now, now, now!' Lyn couldn't help it, she was just too excited. She knew she was going to make loads and loads of new friends and they were going to have so much fun. She wanted to do all the fun stuff, like drawing and painting, but she also wanted to learn and prove to her father just how grown up she was. 'School, school, school.'

'Alright,' Lyn's mother sighed as she put her shoes on and finished her slice of toast. Opening the front door, she was nearly knocked over by Lyn as she went bundling out of the door, cheering at the top of her voice as she rushed towards her mum's car.

'That child is mad.' Lyn's mother let out a loud sigh as she headed towards the car to take Lyn to the next chapter of her life.

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**Note: milwr means soldier in welsh, or so the online translator said.**

**Don't worry, a new chapter of 'Of Angels...' will be up tomorrow and the next chapter for this should be up late Sunday/early Monday. Have fun till then...**


	2. First steps part two

'Alright, young man. In we get.' Ivor helped his young son into the front seat of the car, not that that was the easiest thing to do. His two children had broken into another argument about who would ride in the front with their father, Rhiannon arguing she always rode up front and Ianto biting back at her, telling her their father said he could for a change because it was his first day at school. Now, with a smug Ianto belted up in the front and a slightly sulking Rhiannon sitting in the back, Ivor Jones kissed his wife goodbye before setting off to the school to drop off his children.

'Dad,' Rhiannon said as she kicked the seat in front of her, making her little brother turn and face her in annoyance, before he stuck his tongue out at her and went back to looking out of the window. 'You going to take Ianto right up to the school or can I?' Although she had been spiteful towards her little brother earlier on in the day, she had always felt slightly protective over Ianto, ever since that time when he was four years old and Frankie from across the street had pushed him off the roundabout. Ianto had grazed his knee and was howling like a banshee, which had cause Rhiannon to stand right up to that big bully and give him a taste of his own medicine. She had got a right telling off from Frankie's mother, but a big bowl of ice cream from her mum, which she shared with her little brother.

'Want to go with Dad,' Ianto whined slightly as he shuffled in his seat, fiddling with the straps of his school bag. He knew if he went with his sister, it would cause all manner of troubles. In the back of his mind, he envisioned his big sister running away from him and making fun of him in public about being such a cry baby. It was bad enough that he was being taken to the place of his nightmares, he couldn't face his sister making fun of him. They had been so close when they were growing up; Ianto always used to look up to his big sister, idolising her confidence and her certainty in the world. Deep down, he wished he could be just like his sister.

'Tell you what, Rhi.' Ivor Jones turned the car out of their road and looked at Rhiannon briefly in the rear view mirror. 'How about we go together? Give your brother all the support he needs. Start of school always makes people act differently.' He managed a quick glance at his son, who was looking up at him with large blue eyes. The little boy managed a small smile of gratitude and Ivor sighed in contentment. Two children, a loving wife and a secure job; his life was just about perfect.

*****

'Yay!' Lyn cheered as the car began to pull out of her drive and take her ever closer to her new school. The large grin on her face had been unshakeable since she had woken up that morning and realised it was her first day. Sure, she had been to day school where they made finger paintings and had juice afterwards, but that was only for half the day. She was finally making her way to big school, where she would learn all manner of things and make all kinds of new friends. However, she was more interested in pleasing her father. Daniel Evans was a hard man to please; Lyn remembered him reading her stories and tucking her in at night, but then when he had lost his job, he had stopped all that. Lyn never saw her father at night as he was always out drinking in some pub. She missed her father and hoped that, now she was growing into a young girl, her father would see how grown up she was and spend more time with her.

'You must be the only kid in this town to actually be excited about starting school.' Charlotte Evans looked down at her young daughter jumping up and down in her seat. She definitely didn't remember being that excited when she went to school for the first time.

'School gonna be fun,' Lyn replied as she eagerly looked out of the window to catch any glimpse of the school building. 'I'm gonna be a big girl now.' Her smile grew in intensity as she checked through her little school bag to check she had everything. The drive to the school felt brief and as the building came into view, Lyn shrieked with excitement as she repeated the word school over and over again.

Charlotte Evans said nothing, she merely shook her head as she pulled into the nearest available car park space.

*****

'Ianto, come on. Get out of the car.' Ivor Jones was almost at the end of his tether. He needed to get to work by 9.30 and he knew that would not happen if his young son refused to move from the front seat of the car. He watched as a silver car pull up behind his, a young girl almost springing from the vehicle as soon as it parked. He smiled as the little girl took her mother's hand and skipped gleefully to the school entrance. God, how he envied that mother at this present moment in time. 'Ianto Jones, come out of this car right now.'

Ianto was rooted to the spot. Rhiannon had grown tired of the whole scenario and had left her father and brother in favour of her friends. He hated making his father angry and so, still clutching to his school bag, he clambered slowly out of the car and walked up to his father, his eyes focused on the ground below him. Ivor Jones looked down at his son; there was no way he could ever stay mad at this little Ianto and so, without a second thought, he took hold of Ianto's hand and led him around to the main entrance of the school.

*****

'Bye, mum.' Lyn was heading straight into the playground when she felt a sudden tug on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw her mother look at her with slightly teary eyes as she brushed a stray hair away from her daughter's forehead. The little girl smiled as she gave her mother a large hug. 'Love you,' Lyn finally said as she took one final look towards her mum before she headed out into the playground to make new friends.

'Yeah,' Charlotte said under her breath. 'She's going to be okay.' Smiling sadly to herself, she watched Lyn disappear into the crowd and then turned back to head home.

Lyn instantly found a young girl to chatter away to. They introduced themselves and Lyn was asked whether she wanted to play hopscotch. Her answer was formed and ready to exit her mouth, when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a young boy clinging to his father, standing just outside of the gates. She watched as the little boy struggled to hold onto his father's hand so he wouldn't be left alone in a world of strangers. She thought the little boy was odd, why wouldn't he won't to come to school and make new friends? Didn't he understand the relevance of school? This was how you became a big kid and showed everyone how grown up you were. So why was this boy different? Lyn left the girl she had met behind as she took it upon herself to show just how great school could be.

*****

'Don't wanna go,' Ianto whined, tears preparing themselves to fall from his eyes as he looked out into the crowd of young children. It all looked so overwhelming, so terrifying. He held tightly onto his father's hand, digging his heels into the ground and refusing to go any further into the playground. He was almost unaware of the young girl with pigtails skipping up to them.

'Hello,' she smiled at Ianto and gave a small giggle as the little boy turned away from her to hide under his father's coat. This girl was a new thing and Ianto hated new things. He didn't want any of this; he wanted to go home with his father and spend the day just doing what he wanted. Tapping him lightly on the shoulder, the little girl's smile increased when he turned to look at her. 'I'm Lyn, what's your name?'

'Ianto,' the little boy mumbled, his eyes fixed on the ground below him. Lyn giggled again as she held out her hand to him. She had never thought she would meet anyone so shy and wary about the world around her. To Lyn, the world was a great and wide thing to explore and that school was the first step to take to begin the adventure that was called life.

'You silly.' Ianto finally looked at her, his hand still tightly holding onto his father. 'Don't be scared. We play.' Staring into her eyes, he gave a small smile and released his hold on his father's hand, taking hold of Lyn's as she led him into the playground. There was something about the young girl that intrigued him; she seemed really nice and not at all mean like Rhiannon had said the school children were going to be. Ianto grasped that she must also be a new start to school and he took silent comfort in the idea that he had someone his own age to confide in. It was fair to say that Lyn felt the same; she had been so taken up in the moment that she had forgotten how big a step this actually was and to see the way Ianto had reacted had almost made it come crashing down on her. But now, holding hands with the young boy and both giving each other a comforting grin, she knew they were going to be okay.

Ianto and Lyn both knew then that this was going to be the start of a beautiful friendship.

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**Awww, so cute. Next chapter will fast forward a few years, but there will still be cute little Ianto and Lyn. Unti then... :)**


	3. Birthday Gifts

**I know, I know I said Monday but the ending for this kept on getting re-written. In the end, the fluff won out, as Im saving all the angst for my other story *evil giggle***

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'Dad, do I have to wear this?' Ianto fiddled with his tie, the small Windsor knot almost choking him as he tried to catch his breath. He didn't know why he had to get so dressed up for, it was only Lyn's sixth birthday party. Since that first day the two of them had made their steps into the new world, the two had become almost inseparable; they played together, they ate lunch together, they even found out that they lived close together, a five minute walk separating them. If Ianto wasn't at home, he could always be found in Mrs Evans' back garden, bouncing away on their trampoline with Lyn. The same could be said for the little girl, who would come round from time to time and play with Ianto in the park not far from their house. It was a simple life those two lead and Ivor Jones wouldn't change that for the world.

'Come on, my little milwr,' Ivor said as he loosened his son's tie. He ruffled Ianto's hair and smiled as the young boy giggled in response. 'You want to look your best for Lyn's party, don't you?' Ivor almost burst out laughing at the little boy in front of him, holding onto a brightly wrapped present and squirming on the spot the way Ianto always did when he was embarrassed. The little boy's cheeks shot from pale to deep red in a matter of seconds as he fiddled with the bow on top of the gift he knew Lyn would like; Ianto had seen it in a shop window when he was out with his dad and, although it cost more than his pocket money and he promised he would pay his father back, Ivor took his son into the shop and gleamed with paternal pride as his son handed over the money to the shop owner in exchange for the little gift his son carried along the high street in a plastic bag all the way home.

'Oh, my little boy off to a birthday party,' Phyliss Jones sighed contently as she reached for her camera and took a picture of her little child in his attire, which consisted of a black suit, a white shirt and a little red tie that was quickly becoming undone if Ianto kept fiddling with it. Ivor just stared at his wife, still uncertain as to why she was so intent in capturing everything on that bloody camera of hers.

'Dad, we go now, please?' Ianto drew the attention of his father back to him as he looked up at him with large blue eyes. Patting his son lightly on the back, he kissed Phyliss goodbye as he left the house with his son, making sure Ianto wore his coat in the chilly November air. Ianto complained he would be too hot in it, but his father knew that he would moan as soon as they left if he didn't have it.

The two of them walked down the road towards Lyn's house, which would no doubt be covered with balloons and streamers. Ivor had learnt that Charlotte Evans loved to show off, hopefully showing herself off as someone who was above the estate she was forced to live in. Ivor Jones almost hated her for that, but then who was he to pass judgement when he told Ianto he was a master tailor when he was actually a member of the men's department in Debenhams. Thing was, Ianto would learn one day that was all a lie, whereas Lyn would always be forced to believe she was stuck in a grubby council estate that was beneath her.

'Dad,' Ianto started, drawing Ivor Jones out of his thoughts. 'You really think Lyn will like her present?' The pout the little boy gave his father almost broke his heart; Ianto had been so excited when he had found the perfect gift for Lyn, talking about it day and night and checking every five minute that it was still in the cupboard in the living room. Ivor Jones wasn't certain how to take his son's question, so he slowed his pace and bent down to gain Ianto's eye level.

'What makes you think that, Ianto?' He could see the little boy squirm in embarrassment, continuously trying to keep his eyes away from his father.

'What if she doesn't like it?' Ianto's bottom lip began to stick out as he scuffed his shoes on the pavement underneath him. 'I want Lyn to have the bestest birthday and...' the little boy stopped in mid-sentence and clarity finally washed over Ivor. His little boy was having his first crush. He should have seen it earlier, the way Lyn and Ianto would always run off hand in hand, the way Ianto would share the cookie he got Rhiannon to swipe from the jar with the little girl. It was all falling into place now; his little milwr was worried she might not like her gift and then forget about Ianto. Giving a small chuckle, he placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

'I'm sure she's going to love it,' Ivor said as Ianto's eyes finally met with his. 'Anything you give her I'm sure she'll think is the best gift she got, because you're her best friend.' He smiled as Ianto's face lit up at his father's words. Giving a small sound of joy, he held onto Ivor's hand and practically dragged him to the front door, completely covered with an array of brightly coloured balloons and banners.

*****

'Yan,' the little brightly coloured hurricane yelled as she threw herself out from behind the front door. She was about to fling herself into his arms when a small box wrapped neatly in pink, Lyn's favourite colour, was practically shoved under her nose. 'Oooh, prezzie.' She clapped her hands together as she stared at the gift in wonder.

'Happy Birthday, Lyn.' Ianto mumbled as he turned his own shade of pink, smiling as he saw his friend's face light up. He watched as the little girl ripped apart the wrapping and opened the box. Her eyes grew twice their size as she looked down at the small silver locket gleaming against the black lining of the box. She looked up at her friend with the biggest grin Ianto had ever seen.

'I love it,' Lyn squeaked as she drew her friend into a massive hug. 'Thank you,' she muttered in his ear before taking hold of his hand and dragging him inside, much to the amusement of Ivor Jones, who stood just on the driveway as he watched the interaction between the two children. He smiled and slowly turned to head back home, the joy in his heart at seeing that small scene of true friendship had warmed his heart.

*****

It was fair to say that Charlotte Evans had pulled out all of the stops to celebrate her only child's birthday; a small bouncy castle was placed in one corner of the garden, whilst an over-enthusiastic clown made balloon animals to entertain the kids long enough until Charlotte had prepared the buffet just right. The children ran around the garden whilst mothers sat around the edge, a low alcoholic drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Charlotte didn't agree with that, but her ego was too inflated to let the parents leave and not see her masterpiece of a children's birthday party.

Everyone was enjoying themselves; everyone that was, except Lyn.

Ianto had become engrossed in the clown's antics, not with giddy childish joy, but with thoughts of why some adult should be playing about and acting like a right idiot. However, that didn't stop him seeing Lyn walking frantically around the bouncy castle and then flee into her Wendy house. Curiosity got the better of him and so he picked himself off of the floor and headed for the entirely pink plastic house. He went through the door and saw Lyn sat on the floor, hugging her little legs to her chest and crying her eyes out.

'Lyn, what's wrong?' The little boy walked up to his friend and couldn't help but feel sad himself. He wanted to know why his friend was so upset...and what he could do to make it better.

'Yan...I...I'm sorry,' Lyn managed to say before she broke down in a fresh wave of tears. Ianto took off his little suit jacket and draped it over Lyn's shoulders. He had seen his dad do it when the family had gone out and mum forgot her coat. It always made mum feel better, so the logical side of his little brain put two and two together.

'Why?' Ianto couldn't understand; what had she to be sorry about?

'I...I lost it...I didn't mean to.' The little girl sniffed as she dried her eyes on her sleeve. 'I was on the bouncy castle and it fell off. Mum said she was sure it was on...I didn't want to lose it.' The little boy knew instantly what she meant.

'Don't be a big silly,' Ianto tried to encourage Lyn to laugh as he gave her one last hug. 'Can't have gone, not really. We find it. I find it for you.' He smiled at his friend and was startled when Lyn pressed a sloppy but heartfelt kiss to his cheek. He was frozen on the spot for a few seconds before his brain finally kicked in and he squirmed in embarrassment.

'Love you, Yan.' That only made Ianto turn a darker shade of pink as the little girl laughed at her friend's reaction. Lyn dried her eyes as Ianto led her out of the Wendy house as they headed towards the bouncy castle. After looking around twice and gaining the help from Ms Price, the young single mother from down the road, the missing locket was finally found, much to the delight of one little girl.

After that, everyone, including Lyn, continued to enjoy themselves at the fanciest party the estate had seen in years.


End file.
